My Accidental Valentine
by BatmanSwiss
Summary: Kagome goes home for Valentine's Day,but gets more than she bargained for when her date goes horribly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

Author: JediK1

Genre: Drama, Romance

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: Don't own em, though they'd make a nice birthday present...

Summary: Kagome goes home for Valentine's Day, but gets more than she bargained for when her date goes horribly wrong.

My Accidental Valentine

It was winter in the Sengoku Jidai, and the first snowfall of the year had already come and gone. Now the weather was clear; the clouds had dispersed, leaving bright, blue skies to surround a cheery sun. Kagome smiled as she glanced up, happy to finally be seeing the sun once more. She hugged her coat closer as a chill wind blew past, reminding her that even though the sun was shining, Old Man Winter would still linger for another month or two yet.

InuYasha caught the content look on the girl's face. Her smile seemed to outshine the sun, and for a moment it was almost contagious. The hanyou quickly turned away before anyone else could see the slight curve at the edges of his lips, but he was almost certain that Kagome had spotted him. Now, he turned to hide the light blush that crept onto his cheeks.

The miko had indeed seen the tiny smile, and she closed her eyes, sighing contently. _Maybe now's a good time to ask him_…she thought as she inched closer to him.

"InuYasha…"

The hanyou, who had been walking next to Kagome at the front of the group, eyed her suspiciously. "What is it now?"

She turned to face him, flashing her brightest smile. "Well, I was wondering if I could go home for a few days?"

"What? You can't be serious?"

"Oh, come on InuYasha! It's almost Valentine's Day, and I promised Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi that I'd go out with them if we couldn't find dates!"

InuYasha stopped abruptly, almost causing Miroku to walk right into him. The monk had been distracted by the sway of Kagome's hips as she nearly bounced beside the hanyou, but he caught himself at the last moment. Sango noticed the monk's wandering eyes, and scowled at him menacingly.

"Maybe you should keep your eyes on the road, lecher," the demon exterminator mumbled as she crossed her arms.

The incident went unnoticed by InuYasha and Kagome, who still stood on the path outside of Keade's village. "What the hell do you mean, Valentine's Day? And who the hell are Yuko, Ari and Ayummy?"

"They're my friends back home! I hardly ever get to see them anymore because I'm always over here, and I promised them I'd spend some time with them!"

"Feh, fine, but you still didn't tell me what this Valentine's Day thing is."

Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed; she was obviously annoyed. "Valentine's Day is a day devoted to people in love. They get each other presents like flowers or chocolate and they go on dates. Every year, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi and I go out together if we can't find dates. It takes place tomorrow, and I need to get home so I can make plans!"

"That's it?" InuYasha eyed her incredulously. "You just want to go home and sit around? We have jewel shards to find!"

Miroku, who had edged away from Sango's dark glare, rubbed his chin absently. "A day devoted to love, you say? It is certainly a shame that we do not have a holiday such as this in our era." While he spoke, Miroku had carefully made his way back toward Sango. The demon slayer stared at him, readying herself for the monk's advances. He looked deep into her eyes, pulling her hand into one of his. "What do you think, dear Sango?"

"I think, Miroku, that you should remove your hand before I cut it off."

The rest of the group glanced down after noticing that Miroku's cursed hand had once more found its way onto Sango's rump. Shippo shook his head, and Kilala gave a slight squeak. When would Miroku learn?

"Oh dear, it seems that the curse has caused my hand to wander again. I assure you, it has moved of its own accord; I would never intentionally do such a thing to you."

Kagome flinched as a loud crack echoed across the village. Miroku stood, rubbing at the large red handprint on his cheek as Sango pushed her way past the hanyou and the miko and stalked off toward Keade's hut. After her friend had walked past, the two tailed fire cat hot on her heels, Kagome turned again to InuYasha. "So, can I go home now?"

After much arguing and several "sits", Kagome finally convinced InuYasha to let her go home for a few days. Before he could pull himself up off the ground and change his mind, the girl had packed her things and was waving goodbye as she headed away from the village.

The forest was quiet as she walked toward the Bone Eater's Well. The few birds that chose to brave the winter season chirped happily in the trees. They cast shadows across the golden pools of sunlight on the forest floor as they flew from limb to limb, and Kagome smiled at them sadly. She had put up a happy front while with her friends, but inside she felt a little down.

Now that she was alone, she let her thoughts wander. Part of the reason she had wanted to go home was because she did not want to spend the most romantic day of the year next to the one person she could never love. Even if he would happen to give her some sign that he cared, she doubted that he would be able to understand the concept of the modern holiday. So, to save herself from heartache and headache, Kagome was heading home.

Kagome jumped through the Bone Eater's Well, letting the soft pink light of its magic consume her. It was comforting in a way, because no matter which direction she was headed through the enchanted well, Kagome knew that she would always be going home. Once the light had faded, Kagome found herself surrounded by the familiar sight of the old well at her family's shrine. Quickly, she climbed up the ladder that had been placed there and headed for her house.

H

The rest of the evening passed swiftly, until the girl finally closed the books she had been pouring over and slipped between the soft sheets of her bed. The night was fleeting and the moon speed across the sky, eager for a rest of its own. Daylight found Kagome up and running about as she hurriedly got ready for school.

_I've missed so much…_Kagome thought as she ran out the door. _It'll take a miracle to get into high school now. _

The day was a long one for the time traveling reincarnate, but Kagome managed to get through all of her classes. It was now the end of the day, and she waited at her desk as her three friends came over to chat.

"Hi guys!" she greeted as the trio crowded around her.

"Wow, Kagome, I'm surprised to see you today. After all, you did just finish those rabies shots.

"Yeah, Eri's right. How did a raccoon manage to show up at your shrine, anyway?"

"Those shots must have hurt," Ayumi added.

Kagome hid her head in her hands. _Rabies? From a raccoon? They don't even live on this side of the world! What will Gramps think of next?_

"Uh…yeah, they did kinda hurt…anyway guys, what are we going to do tonight for Valentine's Day?" Kagome quickly changed the subject, hoping to draw her friends away from her grandfather's made-up illness.

"Um, well…"

"We kinda…"

"We have dates!" Ayumi squealed happily.

Kagome stared at the three girls, her mouth hanging open_. They have **dates**?_ _I can't believe this! Now what am I going to do?_

Kagome's friends seemed to notice the shock on her face. Eri leaned in close, a little smile playing on her lips. "You know, Hojo was looking for you earlier. Maybe he wants to go out with you."

"Yeah," Yuka added. "He did seem kinda nervous. You should go find him!"

"But what about your boyfriend? You know, the tough guy who makes you visit him, even when you're sick all the time?"

"Wait, hold on a second!" Kagome pleaded. "You said that Hojo was looking for me?"

Eri nodded. "Yeah. You should go catch him before he leaves!"

With a little more encouragement from her friends, Kagome stood up and left the room, leaving her backpack behind. She hurried through the halls, trying to find Hojo before he went home for the weekend. _Well, I don't have anyone else to be with. And I don't want to sit around and wait to see if Inuyasha shows up, so I might as well hang out with Hojo!_

She searched the halls, but there was no sign of the boy anywhere. _He must have gone home_, she thought sadly as she made her way back to the classroom to grab her books. When she entered the room, the first thing she noticed was that her friends were gone. There was a little note on her desk, and Kagome could tell before she even picked it up that it was from Eri, Yuka and Ayumi. They had to run, the note explained, and they wanted her to call each of them when she got home to let them know how things went with Hojo.

Kagome sighed, and reached down to grab her bag. As she straightened, she set the backpack on her desk so that she could slip the note in one of the pockets. When she went to put the paper away, however, she noticed something else. There was another note already in the little pocket. _That's strange; I don't remember putting anything else in there…_

Curiosity shone in the girl's dark eyes as she plucked the folded piece of paper from its resting place. _Maybe they left another one…_but as Kagome unfolded the letter, she noticed that the handwriting was entirely different from that of her friends. The note read;

_Dear Kagome,_

_I hope that you are feeling well. I know that you have been rather ill lately, but there was something that I wanted to ask you anyway. Since today is Valentine's Day, I was wondering…_

_Would you be my Valentine?_

_If your answer is yes, please meet me at the movie theater tonight around 6. I'll be waiting!_

_Sincerely,_

_Hojo_

The miko folded the paper after she finished reading, placing it carefully back in her backpack. _I must have just missed him_, she thought as she picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder. She walked over to the last remaining classmates in the room, asking them if they had seen Hojo. The two girls answered that they had, and that the boy had come in just after her friends had left. Kagome sighed, still wondering how she had missed seeing him. With a shake of her head she thanked the girls and headed home, not even noticing the strange look in her classmates eyes as she left the room.

Kagome spent the entire walk back to the shrine lost in thought. Part of her wanted to go out with Hojo; after all, he was sweet, considerate, and above all, completely unafraid to tell her how he felt. _Not like Inuyasha, who's always so rough around me. He's always there to protect me, but does he care? Or am I really just a shard detector for him?_

The steps to the shrine loomed just ahead as Kagome tore herself from the depressing thought. She climbed them wearily, her heart heavy as she reflected on her 'relationship' with InuYasha. She was still debating what to do as she swung the door open and slipped off her shoes.

"Kagome, is that you?"

"Yeah, Mom."

Mrs. Higurashi came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands dry on a dish towel. "What's wrong dear? You sound a little down."

Her daughter dropped her gaze to the floor for a second. "Well, I've got a little problem."

The older woman smiled kindly, motioning for Kagome to follow her back into the kitchen. "Come on in, dear. I'll make us some tea and you can tell me all about it."

So both mother and daughter seated themselves in the kitchen, a steaming cup of tea in hand. Kagome explained her dilemma to her mother, asking her which man she would choose.

The older woman sighed. For a moment she did not speak, opting to take a sip of her tea instead. She stared into the cup, mulling the question over. "Kagome," she said quietly, "you are still very young, dear. You don't have to choose anyone just yet. I know that your heart keeps leading you to InuYasha, but maybe you should give this Hojo a chance. He seems like such a nice boy, and he's very fond of you. Just because you choose to go on one date with someone does not mean that you will stay with that person forever. If things don't go that well with this boy, then maybe you really should be with InuYasha. But if they do…" she trailed off, pausing to finish off her tea. Kagome's mother stood, and the girl looked up into her kind, understanding eyes. "Well," she continued, "whenever you are ready to settle down with someone, just make sure that you really love him."

A sigh parted Kagome's lips as she lowered her eyes to stare at her reflection in the tea. "But how will I know when I've found someone like that?"

The young miko looked up again as she felt her mother's hand touch her shoulder. "You'll know, dear. You'll just know." She gave her daughter's shoulder a light squeeze before setting her cup in the sink. With one last understanding glance, she left the room, leaving her daughter alone to think.

Kagome sat at the table for a few minutes, letting her mother's words sink in. _Maybe she's right…maybe I should go out with Hojo, if only to see what happens. _A shaky smile crept onto her lips, gaining more confidence as it bloomed. Kagome finished her tea, placing the little cup next to her mother's in the sink before grabbing the note from her backpack and running upstairs to her room. She had a date to get ready for.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still don't own 'em…

* * *

Inuyasha paced nervously around Keade's hut. _She's been gone for too long…that damn girl…._

"Inuyasha, why don't you go after Kagome?"

The hanyou turned toward the speaker, brandishing one clawed fist menacingly above his head. "What's it to you, monk?"

Miroku shielded himself with his staff, causing the hoops to jingle softly. "Now, now, Inuyasha! No need to get violent! I was only suggesting that you go visit her in her time. After all, she did say that a holiday was coming up, and you know how Kagome likes to spend holidays with friends."

"Keh, it's a _love_ holiday, you baka. Why would I want to spend that with Kagome?"

Miroku shook his head. _Maybe I'm not the baka here…_ "It was only a suggestion, my friend. Now, would you be so kind as to tell me which direction Sango went?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms after pointing to the left, away from the old miko's hut. "She went to the hot springs with Kilala and Shippo, but I wouldn't bug her if I were you. She seemed like she was in a pretty foul mood."

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Miroku looked as though he wanted to say something more, but instead he bowed his thanks and headed for the hot springs. Now that he was alone again, Inuyasha seated himself next to the fire pit with a slight huff.

It did not take long before he was up and moving. Instinct guided his feet, and in minutes he was standing next to the Bone Eater's Well. His keen senses could still catch Kagome's scent from the day before, and he breathed in the soft smell. Though he didn't want to admit it, he always wound up waiting here for Kagome's return. The world just seemed so empty without her there. At least when he stayed by the well he could still find her scent, though it was only a ghost of the real thing.

He growled impatiently as he plopped down next to the old wooden structure, his chin leaning carefully on the splintered top. _I wish she'd come back…why'd she have to go home anyway? _

But he already knew the answer. She went home to celebrate that stupid holiday of hers, leaving him all alone. _Why does she have to celebrate a love holiday, anyway? Who's she got to go on a 'date' with? _He remembered something about her friends, but he didn't quite buy that. _Wait a moment…_suddenly a memory popped into his head from the time he visited Kagome when she was sick. _There had been that boy there…what was his name?_

_Hobo…I think that was his name. _Another low growl rose from deep within his throat. _I can't believe she'd sneak off just to see some dumb kid! _

Anger and jealousy raged in his heart for a moment, but he forced the feelings down. Why should he care what Kagome did? It wasn't like she belonged to _him_ or anything…but still, the thought of her seeing someone else made him feel uneasy. The emotions warred within him for a while, until he finally came to a decision.

The dried grasses crunched beneath his feet as he stood. Two amber eyes gazed down into the ancient well for a moment before they turned to scan the small glen. When he failed to sense anyone else, he leapt into the well, leaving the meadow silent and empty once more.

* * *

Kagome glanced at the clock as she finished the final touches on her hair. It was almost five thirty, and she knew that if she didn't hurry she would miss the bus. She quickly maneuvered the chopstick into her hair, smoothed the slight wrinkles out of her clothes, and checked her appearance in the mirror.

_That baka doesn't know what he's missing. _

Kagome grabbed her purse and ran out of her room. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs she bid her family a quick farewell and was out the door in no time. But even with her hurried steps, the miko barely managed to catch the bus before it pulled away without her.

Luckily, there were enough empty seats on the bus for her to sit down. Sighing gratefully, she sank down onto the plastic seat and leaned back to catch her breath. True, she was in great shape from her adventures in the feudal era, but tackling those shrine steps in heels had proved to be even more difficult than most of the demons they battled.

Kagome was torn from her thoughts when she noticed that the man seated across from her was staring. _Maybe this outfit wasn't such a great idea after all_, she thought as she blushed furiously and tugged her skirt a little lower. The soft material slid down her crossed thighs, and she finally let it rest once she felt it brush against her knees.

The man smiled sheepishly and looked away. Kagome hugged her purse to her chest in an attempt to preserve some modesty before letting her own eyes wander over the outfit in concern. She had chosen a dark red silk blouse that featured a plunging neckline, and a midnight-shaded skirt of the same material hugged the curves of her long, elegant legs like a second skin. The black heel of her left shoe made a slight clicking sound as she nervously tapped it against the floor of the bus, and the hand that wasn't grasping her purse searched through the bag for her mirror.

After she had checked her makeup, she turned her attention to her hair. It was gathered up in a loose bun, which was held together by a dark ornamental chopstick. Several strands had worked their way loose during her dash to the bus stop, but Kagome did not mind. The messy look seemed to accent the style, not hinder it.

The squeal of the brakes let her know that she had reached her stop, and she quickly thanked the driver before exiting the bus. Her senses were immediately overloaded when she stepped onto the crowded street, and Kagome found herself grinning as she headed into the thick of it. Though the time traveling girl enjoyed the unspoiled feudal era, she sometimes found that she missed the bright lights, the crowded streets, and the many smells that filled the big city with so much life.

People swarmed around Kagome as she made her way to the main entrance. There was a large window next to the door, and just inside was a young man was selling tickets for the evening shows. Since the line was surprisingly empty, she asked the boy what the time was. He told her that it was five forty five; that meant that she still had fifteen minutes before she was supposed to meet Hojo.

Kagome thanked the boy and moved back onto the sidewalk. Several couples waited around her, and she found herself slightly jealous of them. _They look so happy_, she thought while she watched a particular pair. The young man was wrapping his jacket around the girl, and she thanked him with a gentle, chaste kiss.

With a sigh, Kagome turned away. _Where is Hojo?_

Her impatience grew as the minutes ticked by. After a while, the people that surrounded her began moving into the theater, and soon Kagome found the street nearly deserted. She sighed again, and moved back toward the building so that she could lean against the wall.

Kagome was about to give up on Hojo when she heard someone approach off to her right. She turned to the newcomer, a nervous smile on her face. "Oh, hi…."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still don't own 'em…

* * *

Mrs. Higurashi hummed softly as she busied herself around the kitchen. She could hear Sota and Gramps in the living room, idly chatting about the news. Something about the police reached her ears, but she paid it no mind. As she placed the last dinner dish in the cabinet, her eyes wandered over to the clock on the wall. It read five of six. 

_I wonder how Kagome's date is going?_

A sharp sound brought her out of her thoughts, and Kagome's mother turned to the culprit. On the wall across from her, the phone rang loudly, screaming for someone to come and answer it. She quickly picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi?"

Brown eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the voice. "Hojo? Is that you?"

"Yes," the nervous voice answered. "I was wondering if perhaps Kagome was still home?"

"No, Hojo. I'm sorry; Kagome is not home right now. I thought that she was out on a date with you?"

"Oh, dear. I just wanted to call her and let her know that I am afraid I must cancel our date tonight. My aunt has fallen very ill, and my family and I must visit her."

"I'm sure she'll understand, Hojo." Mrs. Higurashi quickly finished the conversation and hung up the phone.

_Oh, Kagome…_she thought as she chewed on her lower lip. "Grandpa, Sota! Grab your coats! We have to go out and look for Kagome!"

The youngest Higurashi poked his head around the kitchen door. "Mom? What's wrong? I thought that Kagome was out on a date?"

Sota's question was not answered by his mother. Instead, he heard a low growling come from behind him. The boy turned and yelled in shock when he found the source of the sound. "Inuyasha! What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for your baka sister, that's what I'm doing. What is this 'date' thing, and why is she on it?"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "That's just it. Hojo, the boy she is supposed to be on a date with, just called and said that he was out of town. Kagome must be getting worried about him. I want to go and pick her up before it gets much later."

"Keh. Forget about it. I'll go get her. Just tell me how to get to this 'date' thing."

H

"Oh, hi…." Kagome eyed the man who approached her. After a moment, she recognized him as the man who had been staring at her on the bus. "Are you waiting for someone?"

The man smiled warmly and leaned against the wall next to her. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. How about you? Waiting for Prince Charming to arrive?"

Kagome laughed nervously and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." The man did not respond for a moment, and Kagome began to feel uneasy. He appeared to be at least twice her age, possibly more. The stranger wore dark slacks and a grey short sleeved shirt, which exposed his strong arms. "Look, my date should be here any minute…."

"Well, I have nowhere pressing to be. Maybe I could keep you company?"

"Uh…that's very nice of you to offer, but I really should move closer to the door. I don't want him to pass by and not see me." Kagome looked around and realized that she had chosen a spot awfully close to the alley. She straightened and began walking toward the brightly lit doorway when he grabbed her arm.

"Leaving so soon?"

* * *

Inuyasha sped across the rooftops, growling all the way. _Stupid Kagome. I can't believe she came back here to see that jerk Hogo._ The hanyou leapt into the air, his eyes searching for the landmark Kagome's mother had given him. He knew that it was useless to try and catch her scent; it disappeared at the thing that Sota called a 'bus-stop'. So he was using his sight to track her down this time. 

_Damn wench! _Inuyasha hated to admit it, even to himself, but every time Kagome mentioned the boy from her time he felt something strange tear at his heart.

He shook the feeling away and concentrated on where he was going. Nothing in the streets below seemed familiar; in fact, he didn't even recognize most of the objects on the brightly lit paths. _Damn it, this is gonna be harder than I thought…._

* * *

"What are you doing?" Kagome's eyes went wide with fear as the man's grip tightened. "Let me go!" 

The stranger glanced around, but no one had heard Kagome cry out. He leaned in close, the warmth disappearing from his gaze. "Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I let a pretty little lady like you out here alone? Some creep might come along and hurt you, ya know."

Kagome struggled to free her arm, but the man's grip refused to yield. "How about we take a little walk? I promise you'll be back before your boyfriend gets here."

"No! Let g-" her protest was cut off when a rough hand clamped over her mouth. The man pushed her away from the theater and the safety of the bright lights and toward the nearby alley. As they rounded the corner, Kagome managed to sink her teeth into the man's hand, and he let go with a sharp cry. His other hand pushed her into the alley before grasping the injured appendage. "You little bitch!" he growled.

Kagome flew backwards as his good hand crashed against her face. She landed roughly, and the uneven pavement ripped at her silk skirt. "Get away from me!" she screamed while staggering to her feet.

The man smiled at the tears that now streaked her reddened cheeks. "Come here, little girl, and maybe I won't make it hurt too much!"

He charged at her, his strong arms once again reaching for her. But this time she was ready for him, and Kagome ducked just in time to avoid being grabbed. A small fist flew through the air, making contact with the man's face with a sickening crunch.

Kagome did not wait to see if she had caused any damage. She took off, trying desperately to reach the opening of the alley. Freedom was just a few steps away, and then suddenly the world flew upward. Kagome felt the rough hand latch around her ankle, dragging her down onto the pavement. With a thud she landed on the ground.

Once again, she tried to struggle to her feet. This time, however, the man was determined to keep her down. A heavy weight dropped on top of her, and when his fist once again connected with her face, darkness overwhelmed her.

* * *

Inuyasha was lost. He currently sat on a random rooftop, scratching his head angrily. In his other hand he clutched the baseball cap that Kagome's mother had tossed to him on his way out. _Damn it! Why does everything in Kagome's time have to be so fucking complicated? _The hanyou huffed in frustration, and then slowly drew in a deep breath. Losing his temper now was not going to help him track Kagome down any faster. 

Many smells assaulted him when he breathed in the city air, but this time one stood out above the rest. It was a mix of fear, so intense that even from this distance it caused his nose to wrinkle in distaste. He sniffed again, noticing another scent mixed in with the first. It was blood.

More specifically, Kagome's blood.

Panic clutched at his heart. For a moment, Inuyasha stood frozen on the rooftop, his legs unable to move. Then the scent teased his nostrils again, and the spell was broken. He sprang into the air, a vicious growl burning in his chest and throat. If Kagome were hurt….

He blocked the thought from his mind and concentrated solely on following the scent. Inuyasha swore that she would be all right. And if she wasn't, someone was going to pay dearly_. Hold on, Kagome. I'm coming. Just hold on!_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Checking….nope. Still not mine.

* * *

The sound of someone mumbling brought Kagome back to consciousness. Pain pounded through her skull with every heartbeat, causing her to moan slightly when she forced her eyes open. She blinked once, then twice in an attempt to clear the fog from her vision. The mumbling grew louder, and Kagome forced her eyes to focus on the source of the sound.

It was coming from right above her.

Apparently, she had only been out for a few moments. The man was still on top of her, and he was fighting with something. It only took a few moments for Kagome to figure out that he was trying to rip her skirt.

Now wide awake, Kagome began to push at the man. But he was too heavy, too strong, and she could not manage to push him away. "Get off of me!" she screamed.

He ignored her, focusing instead on the strong silk of the skirt. Kagome continued to fight, but it was useless. The tears sprang to her eyes again, bringing with them the darkness that threatened to take her once more. _No…I can't pass out now!_ Unfortunately for Kagome, the pull was too strong and her eyes slipped closed once more.

The man shifted her limp form so that he could reach her back. There he found what he had been searching for; a small zipper on the back of her skirt. With shaking hands he grasped the metal tab at the top, preparing to rid himself of the bothersome skirt.

"Get your damn hands off of her!"

The man turned at the sound of the voice, his dark eyes widening in surprise when he noticed that someone else was in the alley. Before he could speak, a flash of red and silver blindsided him. "What the-?" The man found that he was flying through the air, and then there was nothing when his head connected solidly with the opposite wall.

"Kagome…." InuYasha ran to her side and dropped to his knees beside her. She lay there, motionless, even when he lifted her gently to his chest. "Kagome? Come on, Kagome, wake up!"

Kagome came to for the second time that night, this time to an entirely different scenario. The first thing that she was aware of was that the pain was still there. She fought past it, and found that the only color she could see was red. "No…." the miko managed to mumble into the fabric that surrounded her.

"Shh. Kagome, it's me. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"Inu…yasha?"

"Yeah, who else is always there to save your ass?"

The hanyou flashed her a rare smile, which disappeared when he caught sight of her face. There was a large bruise developing over her left eye, and another would cover her right cheek by morning. Dried tears streaked her dirty face, mingling with the blood that caked her scraped chin. Without even realizing it, Inuyasha brought his thumb up to gently wipe the blood and tears away. Without even realizing it, Inuyasha brought his thumb up to gently wipe the tears away. "Kagome," he whispered. "It's all right. You're safe now."

His sensitive ears picked up the sound of voices approaching, and the hanyou hastily checked to make sure the cap was secure on his head. He helped Kagome to her feet just as a man in strange clothing rounded the corner. Trailing at a respectable distance were several onlookers, each craning their neck to see what was happening. The newcomer shooed the curious people away, then turned to InuYasha and Kagome.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from the girl."

InuYasha began to growl. Like hell he was going to move away from Kagome! He was preparing to protest when Kagome spoke up.

"No, officer, it's okay. He's a friend."

The officer raised a curious eyebrow and glanced toward Kagome's unconscious assailant. "And what about him? Is he a friend too?"

"That bastard tried to hurt her!" the hanyou snarled. "He's lucky I didn't kill him!"

Kagome placed a calming hand onto InuYasha's arm. "It's true. That man attacked me, and InuYasha arrived just in time to save me," she shuddered at the all-to recent memory, unconsciously nuzzling closer to InuYasha. In turn, he wrapped his arm around her trembling shoulders.

After almost half an hour of questioning, the officer decided to let the pair go. But first, he made Kagome promise to come by the station and file a report the next day. From the look of it, she was still pretty shaken up, and he found no harm in letting her go home and recover from the attack.

After the cop had hauled her assailant away the crowd began to disperse. Soon Kagome and InuYasha were alone once more, which suited the miko just fine.

"Come on, Kagome. Let's get you home and get you looked at," InuYasha picked her up gently and prepared to spring to the rooftop.

"Okay."

The hanyou was off in an instant, soaring from one rooftop to another. Kagome tried to relax her body, but found that it was hopeless. She just couldn't calm her nerves; not after what had almost happened to her.

InuYasha seemed to sense her discomfort and slowed to a stop. When Kagome lifted her head from the safety of his arms, her breath caught in her throat. Sprawled out below them was Tokyo in its entire splendor. Thousands of lights twinkled below them, mirroring the stars that studded the sky.

"InuYasha…?"

Without a word he set her down onto her feet and turned to face the view. It was several moments later, after both had taken in the scenery, before he turned to face her. Kagome gasped when a clawed hand rose to trace the sore bruise on her cheek, his touch soft and infinitely gentle. "I found this place while I was looking for you. Kagome…" twin molten eyes glowed as they stared into mahogany brown, their expressive depths revealing a tenderness that Kagome rarely ever saw in the hanyou. "I'm sorry that I couldn't get there sooner. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. I guess that I'm still a little shaken up, that's all," she hugged her arms around her torso and shivered slightly. "I can't believe that I let myself get into that mess. I felt so…helpless. I knew what was happening, but I just couldn't stop it. I tried… I really did…"

"Hey, easy now."

Kagome felt something fall across her shoulders. She looked up, noticing that InuYasha was adjusting his fire-rat haori around her slim form. Satisfied, he grasped her shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. At that moment she lost control and let herself go. All of the emotions that hurtled through her crashed through the floodgates, flowing down her cheeks in a river of tears. She sobbed into InuYasha's shoulder, all the while clutching to his haori as though it were a lifeline.

Eventually the tears began to slow, leaving Kagome to hiccup quietly. She became aware of InuYasha's strong hand rubbing her back, and the sound of his voice speaking calmingly into her ear.

"InuYasha?"

"Yeah?"

The miko tilted her head up so that she could look him in the eye. "Thank you," she whispered.

He smiled back, a mischievous look spreading across his face. "No problem. I guess that it all turned out okay in the end, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," he started, "at least you didn't have to go on that 'date' thing with Hoto."

Thoughts of Hojo came crashing back, causing Kagome to gasp. "Oh no! I forgot all about Hojo! What if he shows up?"

InuYasha huffed, earning a glare from the girl. "Relax. He's not going to. He used that weird 'phone' thing and told your mom that he was out of town. That's when I came out to look for you."

"Oh," Kagome found that she was a little disappointed at the news. "So I guess that I didn't have a Valentine after all."

Now it was her turn to earn a look. InuYasha shook his head, his silver mane shaking with the effort. "Okay, you told me what Valentine's Day was, but what's a Valentine?"

"A Valentine is the person that you spend Valentine's Day with. It's special, because you are letting them know that they are the one person you would rather be with than anyone else in the world."

"Keh, stupid girl," InuYasha scoffed. "Why didn't you say that earlier?" He stepped closer to her, and unlike earlier, this approach did not scare her; it exhilarated her. His hand reached into his plain haori, and when he removed it there was something clutched in his rough hand. Almost hesitantly, he handed the object to her. When he spoke again, his voice took on the strange tone that it had when he had comforted her. "I would have done that."

Before Kagome could even absorb the words the hanyou scooped her into his arms. "Come on," he growled, the rough tone almost returning to his voice. "Your family's probably worried about you."

No more words were spoken between them as InuYasha took to the air. Kagome looked down at the gift the hanyou had given her and smiled softly. The wind played with the soft petals of the rose, which looked only slightly worse for the wear after having spent most of the evening inside InuYasha's clothing. Attached to the stem was a small paper heart that simply read, _be mine_. Kagome found her heart soaring as they leapt over the glowing city. What could have been the worst night of her life had led to something completely unexpected, something that she could have never dreamed of. She had found a new, gentler side of InuYasha on this night. She had found comfort and safety in her truest friend and a hope for possibly something more.

She snuggled further into InuYasha arms and let his familiar scent wash over her. Her body finally relaxed, and she realized how exhausted she really was. Kagome was just about to drift off to sleep when she felt the arms around her constrict slightly.

"Hey, Kagome… where's your house?"

* * *

A/N: Thank you all for reading this little piece of pointless fluff! I'm sorry if it's not my best work, as someone so rudely informed me in a review (which, I checked their work...they really have no right to be flaming others). This was only intended to be a self-birthday present, so I hadn't put too much thought into it (V-Day is my birthday, for those who would care to know), though I did try to make it a good story! Anyway, this has been trying to get my attention since I finished Castle, and since Valentine's Day was approaching I finished it up. I actually started it last year around this time.

Oh, and for those who read my little preview at the end of Castle, let's just say that there will be more of that in the (hopefully) near future!


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